Folding-rule joint.



c. BQBMBR & E. A. SCHADE.

FOLDING RULE JOINT.- MPL10-M1011 FILED JU'LYz. 1912.

. Patented Dee. 2, 1913.

\Awo @LW/imam@ 'UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

CHRISTIAN BoDM-ER AND EDivIUND A. SCHADE, 'OF NEW,BRI-ClLeL I1\T,l GONNECTICUT,

AssIGNORs To THE-.STANLEY nonne LEVEL OOMPANY,3OF NEW 1313.I-TAIN, CON- NEOTICUT, A CORPORATION OE CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING-RULE JOINT.

.Specification of Lettersg Patent.

,PatentedDec.21913.

Application led July 26, 1912. Serial -No.-711`,621.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHRISTIAN BODMERV and EDMUND A. SCHADE, citizens of the United States, residing at New Britain,

Hartford county, State of Connecticut, have. invented certain new and useful Improves ments in Folding-Rule J oints,`v of which thel following is a full, clear, and exactdescrip-j tion.

The present invention re ates to improvements in joints Vfor fold'fig rules of the snake o-r zigzag type in which the several sections of the rule are connected by a pivot passing through the flat surfaces at the overlapping end of the. several rule sections. I 'l @ur improved constructlonv is deslgned to provide structural details providing for the maintenance of absolute accuracy of the graduations in the .assembled sections throughout the entire length` ofthe rule; to afford a continuous unbrokenline of graduations or division marks along' the edge of the entire rule; to present a continuous unbroken ruling edge; and to provide a simple and effective structure 'for accomplishing these ends. These and Vother advantages resultant from o ur improved construction will loe apparent from the more detailed descrip tion following, taken inl connection with the vaccompanying 'drawings'forming part thereof and in which:

Figure l is ai vsi'de elevation of a folded rule provided with the improved joint forming the subject matterofthe present invention. Fig. 2 is atop plan View of a single rulev sectlon showing the recesses formed therein to receive the parts ofthe joint. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of parts oftwo extended joint sections. Fig.V 4 is a top plan view of such section parts partiall folded. Fig.

5 is a reverse plan View of t e parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3. Fig.` 8'is 'a top plan View of the joint parts assembled'and ready for insertion between the overlapping ends of two rule sections. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to'the drawings by numerals: 1 indicates the several rule sections upon which propergraduations are placed in the f usual manner. Thesefsever-al sections overflap atvtheir ends and the overlapped portions are connected' by suitable pivotal means whereby said sections may be straightened ont into line for the purposes of measurement. -The improved form of joint ,forming the subject-matter of our present invention is de-v signed to be inserted-between the overlapping `ends of these sections. jln order to accomplish this, each section "adjacent each end thereof and on opposite'facesthereof is provided with an annular recessed portion 2 and with a second annular recessed pontion 3 within and concentric with the first"x` recessed-portion 2,. A central and concentric socket eis formed in therule section within this second annularrecessed portion. Extending through each rule section at fopposite ends of the annular recessed portion 2 are rivetholes v5 spaced apart a determined distance, this `distance-in the case of each recess being always 'the same and ,the recesses themselves being always positioned at determined distances apart. 'These recesses lie within the edges of the rule section and are adapted to receive-the parts providing the joint. This joint 'is Aeifected,through complemental joint plates arranged in 'sets of two each for each'joint,^each plate being provided with an'outer flan ed portion `7 shaped and adapted to be sea d within and over the annular recessed portion '2 with which it cooperates. One oflvtheselplates is provided with a projected Aportion'l struck up longitudinally and centrally thereof, and the other and coperatin -plate of the set is provided with a recesse` portion 9 likewise struck up longitudinally and centrally of its plate, these recessed and'projected' portions forming locking recesses on one part and cooperating lockmg projections on the other' rivet holes 5 in the overlapping ends of each section. The joint plates of each set are held together by pivot pins 12 inserted from the exterior' through a central recess in the recessed portion 9 of the one plate and in the projected portion 8 of the other, the

flanged end 13 of the pivot pin pressing against the exterior of said recessed portion 9. Adjacent its end this 'pivot pin is provided with a shoulder 14 upon which is seat` ed a leaf spring 15 extending longitudinally of the interior of the projected portion 8 of the joint plate and locked on its seat by upsetting the end of the pivot-pin againstthe outer face of the spring as at 16. This construction effectively holds the spring on its seat, and by reason of the shoulder 14, part of the strain of the compression and expansion of the spring is taken off the upset end 16 of the pivot, thereby tending to prevent the wearing off of this headed or upset end by the turning of the parts whenthe joints are opened and closed.

The two coperating plates forming a set are shown assembled in Figs. 8 aprlr) ofvthe drawings, the leaf spring 15 norinallytending to press the projected portion 8 df the one plate into the recessed portion 9 of the coperating plate,y and the pivot pin 12 pivotally securing the two plates together so that, as hefo.'c stated, if sufficient force is "applied, one plate may be swung around on the other, this being permitted by the fact that the walls of the interlocked projected and recessed portions are beveled or inclined so that the two pivoted joint plates may be swung around one u'pn the other against the force of the leaf spring 15, which tends normally to interlock the projected and rccessed portions. In order to assemble these joint plates with ythe recesses of the overlapping ends of the two rule sections, the plates, as assem'bled in a set (as shown in Figs. 8 and 9) are seated between the overlapping endsof two joint sections with 'their fianges 7 resting upon the recessed portions 2 ofthe respective rule sect-ions, and pressure is applied to force the fastening tangs .10 into the material of the rule sections. is will securely hold the two lpivoted joint'plates to their respect-ive rule sections so that one segtion may be swung around upon the other to expose the rivet holes 11 in the flanges 7 of each section. AS before stated, these rivet holes will c0- incidc with the rivet holes 5 extending through the recessed portions 2 of the rule sections'.A Rivets 17 may now be 4inserted through these rivet holes and the joint plat-es securely and accurately positioned Within the recesses designed to receive them. The

flanged end 13 of the pivot pin will seat end of the cooperating rule section. Inasmuch as the joint plates are secured to these sections, one section may be swung around upon the other by the application of sulficient fo-rce, this action withdrawing an interlocking -part of one Yjoint plate from engagement with the cooperating interlocked part of the other joint late, the pivot pin 12 moving up through t e apertures in the joint plates andcompressing the leaf spring 15. This act-ion occurs when one of the sections of the folding rule is moved upon and relatively to another section and from extended to folded position or vice versa. When the sections of the rule are being unfolded or extended for the purpose of measurement, this disengaging action ofthe interlocked parts will take place upon the initial movement from folded position, and when each section has been straightened out in the line.

snap t-heprojected and recessed portions of each joint plate into..interlocki ng engagement ffii/d will hold-them rigidly against ac-4 cidental displacement. When the rule is folded up, the same disengaging action takes place, the interlocking portlons again snapping into iiterlocked engagement when the sections of the rule are folded uporr each other to return` to -the'fparallel position they occupy when'folded.

4The joint plates are located well vwithin the edges ofthe rule sections so that a continuous s trai ht line .of graduations or division marks a ong` the edge of the entire rule may be had, thus enabling a continuous straight line to be drawn from one end of the rule to the other without deiiection being caused by offset-s at the point of the joints of the rule sections.

By making the recesses in the sections of Y lholes-therein at uniformly determined points and by forming the joint plates and their pivots to correspond with and accurately fit within these recesses with their rivet holes in alinement with those of the rule section, absolute accuracy in the `line of extended graduations is assured.

Having now particularly` described n11r invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:v

1. In a rule joint, the combination with cooperating rule sections overlapping at their ends and having their opposing` overlapping faces provided with complemental recesses therein lying wholly within the plates shaped to seat Wholly Within said recesses and secured to the opposing faces of said sections, and provided respectively. with male and female interlocking means, va pivot stud positioned Wholly Within said recesses and connecting said joint plates, and means normally tending to hold said joint plates interlocked..

2f In a rule joint, the combination With'coi operating rule sections overlapping at their ends and having their opposing overlapping faces provided With coinplemental recesses therein lying Wholly Within the edges of said sections, of an assembled joint unitcomprising complemental joint plates provided with' means for securing the same respectively to j the opposing faces of said overlapping sections, a stud pivotally connecting sald plates, said plates being provided With complemental male and female portions and with means normally tending to hold said portions interlocked, and said joint unit seating Wholly Within the area of said recesses and on the opposing. overlapping faces of said sections With its p-ivo-t stud lying Wholly within said recesses.

3. In a rule joint, the combination With coperat'ing rue sections overlapping at their ends and'provided with recesses in their adjacent faces at such ends and Within l the edges of said sections, and provided further with rivet holes extending through said recessed portions, of complemental pivoted joint plates seated Within said recesses and having fastening tangs projecting therefrom and into said rule sections and having rivet holes therein registering With said rule section rivet holes, with holdin rivets in Said holes, said joint sections being formed with cooperating projected and recessed portions, and means including a spring normally tending to hold said coperating portions interlocked when the rulesections are extended or are folded.

4. In a rule joint, the combination with cooperating rule .sections overlapping at their ends, of complemental joint plates secured to the overlapping faces of said rule sections and provided with interlocking projected and recessed portions respectively, a pivot stud extending through said portions with one4 end Within said recessed portion and provided with a shoulder thereon, a leaf headed to retain saidspring on said stud and against said shoulder, and said spring restinfr 'against said projected portion and norinatlly tending to hold the latter interlocked With said recessed portion,

5. In a folding rule comprising a lurality of overlapping pivoted sections iiaving recesses formed in the adjacent overlapping faces and'within the edges thereof, said sections having rivet holes eztending through their recessed portions near the ends thereof, and assembled joint units comprising complemental joint lates pivotally connected by a stnd central y thereof and arranged to be seatedV Wholly Within the area of said recesses, said joint plates being provided with rivet holes therein corresponding to the rivet holes in said recesses, holding rivets in said rivet holes, the pivot studs of said joint units being arranged to lie Wholly Within the recessed portion of said sections, said complemental joint plates providing interlocking means located' between the rivet holes therein and spring means cooperating with said interlocking means to yieldingly hold said rule sections in alinernent when said rule is extended.

6. A folding rule comprising a plurality of overlapping pivoted sections having recesses formed in the adjacent overlapping faces thereof and Within the edges thereof, said sections having rivet holes extending through. their respective recessed4 portions near the ends thereof, complemcntal pivoted joint plates provided with fastening tangs at the edges thereof, said plates being seated in said recesses and having rivet holes therein corresponding to the rivet holes in said recesses, with holding rivets within said rivet holes for holding said plates seated in their respective recesses, complcmental recessed and projected portions respectively formed in said plates, and spring means normally tending to hold said complemental portions in interlocking' engagement when their respective rule sections are extendml.

CHRIS'IIAN BODMER. EDMUND A.. SCHADE.

Witnesses z J. lvl. llanera, Firemen K. IIiNn. 

